News about Librarian Union Activity. News about Unions for Librarians Supporting Workers. Continued by Union Library Workers after 6.13.2011.

Friday, August 01, 2008

ENDORSEMENT OF A LIVING WAGE FOR ALL LIBRARY EMPLOYEES AND A MINIMUM SALARY FOR PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS- Passes 2008 ALA Council

The ALA-APA Council passed a living wage resolution for library employees at the American Library Association meeting in Anaheim, California. On Monday, June 30, the ALA-APA Standing Committee on the Salaries and Status of Library Workers, represented by incoming chair Patty Anderson, brought forward a resolution supporting the annual updating of the $40,000 minimum salary for librarians and recommending a salary of $13 an hour for library workers, also to be updated annually

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The $40,000 minimum is to be updated by ALA-APA using the All-Urban Consumer Price Index (CPI), the standard measure for inflation of goods and services, which is adjusted monthly to reflect price inflation; the $13.00 is to be adjusted annually in relation to the Federal poverty guidelines. The resolution passed after some discussion.

APACD #8.22007-2008ENDORSEMENT OF A LIVING WAGE FOR ALL LIBRARY EMPLOYEES AND A MINIMUM SALARY FOR PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS

WHEREAS, the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) Council, at its January 2007 Midwinter Meeting, adopted a resolution entitled “Endorsement of a Nonbinding Minimum Salary for Professional Librarians;” and

WHEREAS, the resolution resulted in a nonbinding endorsement of a “minimum salary for professional librarians of not less than $40,000 per year;” which, adjusted for inflation now amounts to $41,680, and

WHEREAS, the ALA-APA Standing Committee on the Salaries and Status of Library Workers is charged “to guide ALA-APA activities in support of better salaries, comparable worth, pay equity, and similar programs related to the status of librarians and other library workers;” and

WHEREAS, the aforementioned Standing Committee sees the need to strengthen ALA-APA’s position with regard to wages and salaries for all library employees, and with regard to variable costs of living over time and across geographical locations; and

WHEREAS, a living wage is defined as “net” or “take home” pay earned during a full-time workweek, not to exceed forty (40) hours per week. A living wage provides for the basic needs (housing, energy, nutrition, clothing, healthcare, education, childcare, transportation, and savings) of an average family unit; and

WHEREAS, the family of four Federal poverty guideline for 2008 is $21,200, a recommended minimum hourly wage of $10.20 is necessary for a full-time, year-round worker to exceed the poverty guideline and sustain a basic living; and

WHEREAS, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the All-Urban Consumer Price Index (CPI), the standard measure for inflation of goods and services, which is adjusted monthly to reflect price inflation; now, be it

RESOLVED, that the American Library Association- Allied Professional Association endorses a minimum entry-level salary for professional librarians of $41,680 that is adjusted annually according to the latest cost of living index/CPI data; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that in recognition of the skills and competencies required of all library workers, the American Library Association-Allied Professional Association endorses a minimum wage for all library workers of at least $13.00 per hour, to be adjusted annually in relation to the Federal poverty guidelines."

==Editor.K. McCook, AFT Local 7463.===The list of links to websites of academic and public library unions was suspended due to lack of support to keep current as of 4.5.2010.The links, last updated in 2009, have been published as an appendix to the article, "Unions in Academic and Public Libraries,”in Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. London, Taylor and Rutledge. 2010.